Manhunter
Real Name: Cyrus Kempf Background: When his sister and her husband were killed by the mobster Petro, former soldier Cyrus Kempf took up life as a masked adventurer, using his skills and technology to deal justice in his own way. After a battle with HAVOC, he stole an experimental flying vehicle called a skycycle. Later, he joined the outlaw vigilantes known as the Strong Persuaders but he has changed his ways since then. Manhunter is currently a crimefighter in the metropolitan New York area. He has been noted as a member of the crimefighting team called the Night Shift, along with Mistral and Overcoat. In his civilian identity, he runs the Elysium Electronics shop in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and is the holder of several lucrative patents. Secret Origin: '''Cyrus Kilarny was born to a middle-class Catholic couple (Michelene and Mary-Katherine Kilarny) in Belfast, Ireland. Mick was a television and electronics repair man, while Mary-Kate was a nurse at a local hospital. Cyrus was a gifted but troubled student growing up. On the verge of quitting school at 13, he meet Maureen Cohan, a teacher who challenged him and pushed him to excel. Unfortunately, he also fell in with a splinter cell for the Irish Republican Army who found his talent for electronics and hobby of blowing things up something they could use. They convinced Cyrus to make them a couple of bombs to help teach the dirty Brits a lesson. One fateful day as Cyrus was getting home, an explosion rocked his block. The blast had killed his parents and some of his school friends. It turned out to be a bomb that Cyrus had made, and had gone off too early. Cyrus was devastated: he vowed to make the group pay. So he set a series of bombs in their headquarters, homes and vehicles. The destruction left two survivors, who figured out that Cyrus was responsible. With no one else to turn to, Cyrus went to Maureen Cohan for help. She asked no questions, but arranged to get Cyrus and his baby sister to America to live with their older sister Maggie. Maggie had come to America to escape the violence back home. She had gotten her nursing degree by going to night school, while doing makeup work for a theater company. While working at Bellevue she met a young doctor by the name of Joshua Kempf, and married him. Joshua was killed shortly after their wedding by drug addicts looking for cash for a fix. Maggie Kempf got her brother and sister in school and had them live with her in Red Hook. Cyrus took his sister's last name and then set himself to be a model student, graduated with honors, got his citizenship papers, and joined the military to serve his adopted homeland. He also worked at removing all trace of his Irish accent, except when alone with Maureen. When Cyrus learned of the death of his baby sister Katie-Anne at the hands of mobsters, he took an unauthorized leave of absence to come home. As he learned of the nature and reason for his little sister's death, he decided it was time to use his skills to help people and bring justice to the ones the law could not, or would not, touch. Cyrus decided to stay out of the service, and got his old commander to set up a phony story to let him go. While trying to fix the water heater in the basement he collapsed part of the floor and found an old, forgotten pneumatic rail station under the basement. Using some of his patent money that his sister Maggie had convinced him to put in the bank, he purchased the shop front under his sister's flat as well as the rest of the empty building. He also bought the two lots on both sides of the building, turning one set into a park for the neighborhood kids and families. Cyrus and Maggie took in their young nephew Milo to raise. They decided to keep Milo ignorant of Cyrus's background and shadowy activities. Unknown to the uncle and aunt, at 10 he is starting to figure out there is more to his uncle "the hippie " than the world knows. '''Group Affiliation: Former member of the Strong Persuaders; current member of the Night Shift. Known Relatives: Maggie Kempf (sister), Milo Murray (nephew); deceased sister and brother-in-law. Known Associates: '''There are a couple of locals who are starting to realize that Cyrus is more than the Deadhead electronics wizard that he makes out. *Old man Horowitz, who owns the corner grocery store, witnessed Manhunter teaching some punks a lesson for trying to shake down the old guy. Problem was, only Old man Horowitz and Cyrus were witnesses to the shakedown. *Billy Chang, who runs a jewelry store, told Cyrus one day on the street, how he went in one morning to find three hoods hanging in a net in his stores' entry way with a note, saying they were sorry that they tried to rob him. All the thugs would say was some cigar-chewing maniac hung them up for walking on the street late at night. They forgot to mention the burglary tools and crowbars found on them, plus some stolen items at their apartment. *Mr. Babringie, whose artificial leg is now cybernetically enhanced, since Cyrus "adjusted" it for him free of charge. *Justin and Dreamflower Smith, whose Health Food and Holistic emporium was going to get taken by the bank because Justin had major medical expense from a war injury. After Maggie learned of their problem one day while shopping at the store, their store and apartment mortgages were mysteriously paid off. Justin was also the recipient of a pair of cybernetic limbs by some unknown benefactor. He also received rehab therapy to use and take care of them. *Last but not least is the latest addition to the neighborhood. She is a retired school teacher from Dublin, who seems to come over for tea with Maggie alot. '''Status: Active Skills: Manhunter is a highly trained reconnaissance and infiltration expert and driver. He's also a skilled martial artist. In addition, he has a huge range of technical skills. He has a habit of appropriating technology from foes he defeats. manhunter2.jpg manhunter_hm.jpg strongpersuadershigherlaw.jpg strongpersuaderscover.jpg Manhunter 100.jpg Manhunter3.jpg Technology: Manhunter pilots an antigrav vehicle called a skycycle. He has modified the cycle with enhancements and weaponry. Manhunter is an accomplished inventor and tinkerer and maintains a base in an antique abandoned pneumatic subway tunnel. Creator: John Rugel First Appearance: ADRENALINE COMICS #1 Category:Characters Category:Heroes Category:Modern Age Category:The Night Shift